24-Hour Arty People

Jack Bauer, the ass-kicking scourge of fictional bad guys everywhere, had a penchant for packing a ton of action in a single 24-hour period. And while participants in this weekends 24 Hour Comics Day wont have to stop any worldwide terrorist plots, they too will have exactly a single day to accomplish a seemingly impossible mission: Creating and publishing a comic book from scratch.

What started as a dare in 1990 has now blossomed into an international phenomenon. Sequential cell scribes, both pros and amateurs alike, will gather at stores across the country on Saturday, October 1, and attempt to produce a 24-page creation in as many hours. A half-dozen Valley shops will host the event, including Gotham City Comics and Coffee, 46 West Main Street in Mesa.

The challenge is just to see if you can pull an all-nighter and come up with a comic, says Gothams Chelsea Alongi. Participants will work alongside local artists at the store, and the best comic books produced across the world will be published in an anthology.

Gotham will also offer deals on coffee drinks at its espresso bar, which will surely come in handy. The timer starts at 11 a.m. Admission is free. Visit www.24hourcomicsday.com for other participating Valley stores.
Sat., Oct. 1, 11 a.m., 2011